BLACK KNIGHTS WOW SINGAPORE AIRSHOW VISITORS

Minister of State for Defence Associate Professor Koo Tsai Kee hosted over 200 guests on a visit to the inaugural Singapore Airshow on 24 Feb.

Among the visitors were members of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs (GPC-DFA), ACCORD, the SAFRA Management Committee, Members of Parliament, as well as local and foreign business leaders.

cyberpioneer spoke to Mr Douglas H Miller, Vice President (Asia Pacific) of Boeing International Corporation, about his thoughts on the air show.

"I would describe this show as a 'dating service' because it gets people together," he said. "Customers and suppliers get together very effectively and we're able to talk to people we need to speak with to promote business opportunities."

Boeing, a leading player in the international aerospace industry, had a strong presence at the Singapore Airshow. Beyond civil aviation, Boeing's aerospace involvement extends to the military realm as well.

Reflecting on the relationship between industry and the defence sectors, Mr Miller commented on the ease of doing business with the Defence Science & Technology Agency (DSTA), the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) and the other Services.

"They have a high degree of professionalism and we really enjoy working with them," he said.

Among the top attractions of the Singapore Airshow was the aerobatics display by the RSAF's Black Knights.

Noting drily that the Black Knights flew in Lockheed Martin planes - Boeing's direct competitors - Mr Miller was nonetheless full of praise for the team's "impressive and professional" skills.

"A number of the Black Knights have been involved in flight evaluations of our platforms in the past, and their abilities are excellent. The show was excellent - I am very impressed."